Oral history interview with Sam R. Christensen, 1988 January 12
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Christensen, Sam R. (Samuel Rodney), 1928-2009
- Title
- Oral history interview with Sam R. Christensen
- Dates
- 1988 January 121988-01-121988-01-12
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (1 audiocassette (57 min., 54 sec.) + transcript (18 pages))
- Collection Number
- SR 2816
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Sam R. Christensen conducted by Judy Hartman on January 12, 1988, as part of the Portland General Electric Centennial Oral History Series. Christensen joined Portland General Electric in 1956 as an engineer, ultimately working his way up to general manager of Generation & Facilities Engineering.
- Repository
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Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical Note
Samuel Rodney Christensen was born in Hillsboro, Oregon, in 1928. He earned degrees in business and engineering from Oregon State University. In 1953, he and Greta Ann Olsen were married; they later had three children. He joined Portland General Electric in 1956 as an engineer, ultimately working his way up to general manager of Generation & Facilities Engineering. In 1985, he and Roxie June O'Brien were married. He died in 2009.
Other Descriptive Information
Forms part of the Portland General Electric Centennial Oral History Series.
Content Description
This oral history interview with Sam R. Christensen was conducted by Judy Hartman on January 12, 1988. The interview was conducted as part of the Portland General Electric Centennial Oral History Series, which marked PGE's 100th anniversary and was used in the writing of the book "Electrifying Eden."
In this interview, Christensen discusses his career at Portland General Electric as an engineer. He describes his job duties and the organizational structure of PGE's engineering departments, and he talks about the construction of several of PGE's hydroelectric plants. He also talks about the construction of the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant and the uncompleted construction of the Pebble Springs nuclear power plant. He discusses how PGE as a company has changed during his career, the maintenance of PGE's power plants, and his thoughts on the future of the company.
The interview transcript includes two addendums: a 1988 list of jobs the PGE engineers were currently working on, and a 1988 article entitled "Dimming our Electric Future."
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Audio and transcript available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Sam R. Christensen, by Judy Hartman, SR 2816, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Gift of Craig Wollner, 1989 (Lib. Acc. 28418).
Related Materials
The Oregon Historical Society Research Library also holds photographs and documents relating to PGE in Coll 415, the Portland General Electric collection, and Org. Lot 151, the Portland General Electric photographs.
Bibliography
This oral history interview was used in the writing of Electrifying Eden: Portland General Electric, 1889-1965, written by Craig Wollner and published in 1990 by the Oregon Historical Society Press.
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Description: Oral history interview with Sam R. ChristensenDates: 1988 January 12Container: Cassette 1
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Description: Transcript of oral history interview with Sam R. ChristensenDates: 1988 January 12Container: Folder SR2816
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Electric utilities--Oregon
- Electrical engineers
- Hydroelectric power plants--Oregon
- Nuclear power plants--Oregon
Personal Names
- Christensen, Sam R. (Samuel Rodney), 1928-2009
Corporate Names
- Portland General Electric Company
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Hartman, Judy (interviewer)
